Improvement in gar-brakes



-their ends by means of bolts.

UNITED T ATES JOHN HICKEY, AND THOMASMGNEILL, QF SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN 'oARfBRAKEs ".:Specication forming part Of-Lctters Patent No. 211,328, dated January 14, 1879; application filed June 28, 1878.

To all whom t may concern.: i

Be it known that we, JOHNIHICKEY and THoMAs McNnILL, of Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wisconsim have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Brakes; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact del scriptionofi the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to brakes.

Heretofore the trucks of railway-cars have been equippedl with wooden beams, suspended by means of chains or other devices from the ends of the trucks or car-body parallel with the axles, having brake-blocks attached to These brakeblocks were pressed againstthe wheels by means of an arrangement consisting of a vertical lever attached to the center of one beamby a short link at a point about seven inches from the lower end of the lever. A long rod running from the centerlof the opposite beam to the lower end of the vertical lever completed the connection. This method is objectionable, because the beams are so large and heavy that the failure ofthe hangers is a thing and they, beingattached to the rigid beam, are

incapable of adjusting themselves to the bevel of the wheels or the constantlyvarying position ofv the truck.

The object of this invention is to provide a braking apparatus for railway-cars which will automatically conform to the `bevel or tread of the wheels and to the position ofthe truck, and to impart an equal pressure to the several brake-shoes, and to insurey the application of occupying an intermediate position between i the rails and between the center and the end Aof the truck, all of which will be hereinafter more fully explained.

In the drawings, Figure lis a plan, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, of a car- `truck having our improvements attached thereto; and Fig. 3 shows detail viewsof the brake-shoe and the operating-lever.

a is the truck-frame, and b are the jaws which support the-bearings in which revolve the axles of the wheels c, all constructed and arranged in the usual manner. dis the brakeshoe, on the center of the back of which are formed the ribs or brackets dl, and on the upper end of which is xed aloop or eye, d2, by which it is suspended by a hanger-rod, d3, to the frame a. The shoe is formed and adapted to flt the face of the wheel in the wellknown manner. l

c is the brake-bar, to which isattached the brake-shoe d by means of a suitable bolt or pin, c2, passing through the ribs or brackets dl.

The shoe d and the brake-bar e are supported in place by the hanger cl3, attached to the upper end of the shoe, which arrangement permits easy and free longitudinal movement of said brake-bar and shoe, by which the latter will be thrown by its own gravity oft' the wheel c when the brake is released.

The shoeis so attachedthat it rotates slightly on pin c2, so as to permit ready and perfect adjustment to the bevel or tread of the wheel in any position into which the truck maybe put.

The brake-bar e has its outer part, e4, bent inward toward the axle c', so that its extremo end is brought within the line of the circumference or tread of the wheel c. Its outer end is fulcrumed by a loose hingejoint on a rod or extension, e, of the jaw b outside of the wheel c, so that it will turn freely horizontally, and also vertically sufficiently to adjust itself au- ATE T .Euren 2 QRLSQS tomatically -to the radial movement of the ,All car-wheels are made slightly tapering or cone-shaped on the tread from the iange cZ outward. In order to apply the brake-shoe successfully to such tapering tread, when the brake-bar is fulcrumed outside the wheel, as described and shown, it is necessary that the fulcrum-j oint of said brake-bar shall be located at a point within the circumference of said tread when thus arranged. rI he curved movement of the brake-shoe adapts the latter more readily to the tread, and a stronger hold is Y given, and less power is requisite to operatev and give effectiveness to the mechanism.

We have described the construction and arrangement of the several parts pertaining to a sin gle brake-shoe. All the shoes are made alike and have the same attachments.

The connecting-rods f j' of the brakes, applied to each pair of wheels c c, have their in ner ends secured to the opposite ends of the equalizing-bar g, as shown.-

To the centers of the equalizingbars g g are affixed the extensions g2 g3, which extend inward, and are constructed and adapted to hold the brake-levers h hl in a vertical position, as shown.

h is the main brake-lever, having aflixed to its upper end the brake-chain t', which connects with the brake-wheel or other mechanism, and having affixed to its lower end one end of the connectingrod k, the opposite end of which is attached to the lower end ofthe vertical lever h1.

The levers h h1 have their fnlcrums h2 h3 intermediately between their ends, and at the same distances vfrom their lower ends, in order to insure an equal strain on equalizers g and g1.

rlhe equalizer g is suspended on and heldin place .by a hanger, g4, which has its upper end affixed to the floor of the car or frame of the truck. K

rlhe bar g1 issupported in position by the brake-lever h, which has its upper end affixed to the car-iioor or truck-frame.

The operation of the device will be readily understood by all persons connected with railroads, or by others having any knowledge of the construction and uses ofthe several parts of railway-cars.

The horizontal equalizers g g1 insure an equal pressure of the brake-shoes on both sides. By using this device the truck is capable not only of lateral motion, but also of free rotation around the king-bolt when the brake is applied in rounding a curve.

Various changes may be made in the devices described and their arrangements and combinations.

The connections to the truck-frame may be made by extending the lower brace forward and-connecting it to bars e by a hook or clevis;

or the bars c may be made longer or shorter, or varied in shape at will; or they may be fulcrumed by having the outer ends of each two on opposite ends of the truck connected to each other by means of a rod running outside the1 wheels, under the strap b, parallel with the rai s.

We are aware of the existence ofthe patent -to r. n. nigbwMamii s, 1864, no.` 41,891,

and we do not claim the invention set forth therein 5 but,

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The brake-bare, having its outer end, 04, bent inward toward the axle of the wheel c, and hinged with capability of a longitudinal and vertical swinging movement on the fulcrum e3 outside of and within the line of the circumference of the tread of the truck-wheel, and supported in position at right angles to and across the face of said wheel by the hanger d3, attached to the upper end of the shoe d, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement of the brake-shoe d, provided with ribs or brackets d1, brake-bar e, having its outer end bent inward and hinged or pivoted within the line of the tread of the wheels, and extension e of the jaw b, with the wheels c, frame a, and the braking mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the swinging levers ce1, having their outer ends pivotedto the frame outside the wheels c, and adapted to support the brake-shoes in proper position to be applied to the wheels c, of the rods fj", equalizingbar g, having the connecting-arm g2, brake-lever h, pivotedintermediately between its ends to the connecting-arm g2, fulcrum-rod k, and brake-chain i', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the brakeshoes, swinging bars e e1, pivoted to the truck-frame outside of the wheels c, and having their opposite ends extended inward horizontally across the breast of said wheels, and the rods ff', secured to the inner ends of the said bars c c1, of the equalizing-bars g g1, having connections g2 g3, swinging bar or lever h1, secured to the frame a, bar or lever la, fulcrum-rod k, and brakechain i, all arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we afiix our signatures in presenceot two witnesses.

JOHN HIGKEY. THOMAS MONEILL.

Witnesses:

JAMES McGLnMnN'rs, J A'Mns BELL. 

